11: Christ Is the End of the Law

As believers, we do believe that the Mosaic law was given by God for a purpose. The law is holy, just, and good, but it cannot make us holy, just, and good. The purpose of the law is to point out sin, not to remove it. It’s to make everyone guilty. It’s to bring sinners to repentance, but the law is useless to believers. The law diagnoses our condition as a sinner before we are saved, but it cannot cure the condition. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can give us the righteousness that God desires, and if we do ANYTHING to obtain or maintain righteousness through working for it, it’s religion. Worthless to God. Filthy rags.

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the KNOWLEDGE of sin. (Romans 3:19-20, emphasis added)¹

There is nothing wrong with the law. It’s a mirror that showed us we were not much to look at before Christ. However, it’s not the mirror’s fault. It only shows or reveals sin. The law showed us that we were dirty and in need of a bath. Some people try to use the mirror of the law to clean the dirt off only to find that it doesn’t work. The law can’t cleanse us. It only shows the need for cleansing, and it only brings a consciousness of sins.

In Hebrews we read that if the Old Covenant law had worked, we should have no more consciousness of sins: 

For then would they [the blood sacrifices of the law] not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. (Hebrews 10:2, brackets added)

The sacrificing of animals in the Old Testament was the “work” that covered the sins of the people, but the blood of animals never cleansed the consciences of the worshippers because it never worked to purify them. The result was that they still had the consciousness of sins. Today, because the blood of Jesus has purified us, we should have no more consciousness of sins.

Under the New Covenant we have this wonderful promise:

I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. (Hebrews 8:12)

Why should we spend time mulling over our sins when God said that He won’t remember them? Think about what it means for God to remember sins: when He remembers them, He obliterates them. The wrath of God comes against sin and removes it. On the cross, Jesus traded places with us and received the punishment for sin that we deserved. The wages of sin is death, but hallelujah….

Behold, the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

 When God looks at us today, He does not see sin between us and Him. It’s been taken away!  

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4)

(from pages 46-47 of Unveiling Jesus)

Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!

Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.

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¹ All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®.  Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.  Used by permission.